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Martlets, Soccer, Sports

Martlets soccer defeats UdeM Carabins in season home opener

by Anoushka Oke, Shani Laskin on

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Martlets soccer victoriously kicked off its season, defeating the Université de Montréal (UdeM) Carabins with a tight scoreline of 1-0. The players battled it out in the Percival Molson Memorial Stadium to energetic cheering from the nearly 800-person crowd.

McGill dominated the beginning of the first 45 minutes, controlling the ball well and consistently bringing it into UdeM’s box. During this time, midfielder Chloe Renaud registered several good shots, shooting some wide and others into the hands of UdeM goalkeeper Andréanne Dubeau. 

Midway through the half, UdeM started to pick up the pace, maintaining better possession of the ball and putting pressure on McGill’s net—but with no result, as McGill goalkeeper Sophie Guilmette maintained tight control of her box. The score remained 0-0 for all of the first half, despite a brilliant chance in the 43rd minute in which Renaud received the ball and chipped it over the head of UdeM’s keeper, who was way off her line; the ball was bouncing in the direction of the net until UdeM defender Santy Malanda managed to catch up to it and make a goal-line clearance. 

McGill registered a few good chances in the first five minutes of the second half. Then, in the 53rd minute, a dangerous shot from UdeM resulted in a masterful save by Guilmette, leading the crowd to erupt into cheers of “Let’s go Martlets” and “UdeM fatigué!”

The score remained level until the 78th minute when forward Arianne Lavoie received a fantastic cross across the face of the net and fired the ball on target; her shot was just saved by Dubeau, but set Renaud up perfectly to hit the rebound into an open net, putting McGill ahead with what ended up being the game’s only goal.

The game went steadily back-and-forth throughout the rest of the half, as McGill worked to stay attacking while also defending their one-goal lead. The crowd’s energy remained high, as they continued to chant and used rubber noise-makers to demonstrate their support for the Martlets. Going into stoppage time, they urged the referee to “Blow the whistle!” Despite having lost their previous preseason game, McGill opened their regular season with a win.

“Winning the first game at home against UdeM, which is a really good team, just scoring that goal, it meant everything to start the season on a really good note,” Renaud said. 

The team has been training together since Aug. 5, and the home opener featured two rookies: Forward Vanessa Kumar started, and forward Estella Irvine subbed in. In her interview with The Tribune, Renaud pointed to the team-building they have been able to cultivate throughout their preseason.

“We’ve had a month to prepare, and throughout all this month we put all the energy together and created that chemistry and I think that today it showed,” Renaud said.

Head coach, Jose-Luis Valdes, told The Tribune that he hopes the team can keep up the spirit they showed in their home opener for the rest of their season.

“The girls did really well,” Valdes said. “[I am] quite happy with how they played and how they went about it. Montreal is a really good opponent, but we managed, we controlled when we had to control, and when it got stressful, the girls still were able to keep their composure and play well.”

“Hopefully in the next games, even if it’s not Montreal and it’s another opponent in the league, we still need to play with that same sort of energy and desire every single minute.” 

Moment of the game:

The last play of the match was a UdeM shot that resulted in a shining save from Guilmette. Following the whistle, all of the McGill players rushed to her, carrying the excitement of starting their regular season off with a win.

Quotable:

“The people coming in have a great vibe. They’re getting along well, and we have a lot of leaders on the team, so it makes it easier to get a lot of people to help.”— Fourth-year captain and midfielder, Mara Bouchard

Stat corner:

Both McGill and UdeM registered 10 shots, but six of McGill’s shots were on goal, compared to only two of UdeM’s.

McGill, News

McGill begins fall term without Faculty of Law

by Fabienne de Cartier on

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McGill began the fall semester on Aug. 28 with its Law professors on strike. The Association of McGill Professors of Law (AMPL) first called the strike in April amidst a stalemate in their collective agreement (CA) negotiations with McGill. AMPL then decided to pause their strike in June when McGill agreed to new bargaining sessions in order to preserve strike funds and grade outstanding coursework. However, with the fall semester looming, the union resumed their strike on Aug. 26 to pressure McGill to cease challenging their status as a union before the courts and to return to the bargaining table before moving forward with arbitration. 

The decision to recommence their strike comes after months of fruitless negotiations. Although the parties have settled many aspects of the CA, AMPL asserts that McGill has been unwilling to give up its authority to unilaterally change the terms of the contract after it has been signed. According to the union, this has been the main sticking point in negotiations. 

In a public message to students, AMPL explained their decision to resume the strike.

“As the first faculty union in the history of McGill, we know that any negotiated change that constrains the administration’s discretion paves the way for improvements in working conditions not just for us, but for the entire campus. We now use the one method at our disposal—the right to strike—to change the dynamics of the bargaining process,” AMPL wrote.

Two bargaining sessions were scheduled to take place over the summer, the first on June 7, and the second on Aug. 19. However, after failing to make progress at the June 7 negotiations, McGill asked Minister of Labour Jean Boulet to submit the issue to an arbitrator, which would allow a neutral third party to resolve the agreement. On July 19, Boulet granted the university’s request, appointing Maître Allard. 

“McGill looks forward to working with Maître Allard to resolve outstanding issues with AMPL and focusing on minimizing any impacts of the dispute on students,” the MRO wrote in a statement to The Tribune. 

However, AMPL asked the Superior Court of Quebec to suspend Boulet’s decision, arguing that McGill’s pursuit of arbitration aimed to delay the CA’s resolution until a hearing in December where McGill will lobby for AMPL’s decertification.  According to AMPL, a delay could have especially high stakes given that McGill has legally challenged AMPL’s right to strike and exist as a union since the Law professors first applied for certification in November 2021. 

“If their suit is successful, it will gravely impede the ongoing efforts of professors in other faculties—Arts and Education—to certify their associations,” AMPL wrote in their public message to students. “[McGill] wants to drag out reaching a collective agreement with us to try to kill our union through its decertification proceedings.”

Despite AMPL’s concerns, the Superior Court of Quebec ultimately rejected their request to suspend the Ministry’s decision on Aug. 16.

Kirsten Anker, Vice-President of AMPL, urged McGill to cease challenging their union certification so both parties can willingly move to arbitration. She also questioned McGill’s reluctance to drop the lawsuit against the union. 

“The question I’m asked all the time is: ‘What does the university hope to get out of this?’ And I can’t answer that question because […] we have the right to unionize. Apart from burning McGill’s good will with the public and burning our reputation, and disrupting an incredible amount of learning by students, I can’t see what purpose is served,” Anker said in an interview with The Tribune.

In a written statement to The Tribune, the McGill Media Relations Office (MRO) explained the university informed AMPL on Aug. 18 that they would not be attending the Aug. 19 bargaining session because they did not believe further conciliation meetings would yield any progress. However, Anker told The Tribune that AMPL believed both parties would move forward with the meetings, noting that one of the reasons the Superior Court of Quebec rejected the union’s request to suspend arbitration was that further negotiation sessions were scheduled to take place. 

AMPL aims to place conditions on the arbitration process. First, they hope to submit the monetary aspects of the contract to arbitration and finish negotiating the non-monetary issues, which are largely resolved. Further, AMPL has agreed to end its strike if McGill stops litigating against them. 

AMPL also claims that the university has been obstructing union activities by communicating with members of the union directly instead of contacting AMPL representatives in an effort to undermine the union’s credibility. On Aug. 26, the same day the strike began, AMPL filed a complaint with the Tribunal administratif du travail (TAT),  noting that Robert Leckey, Dean of the Faculty of Law, had sent several emails to Law professors on behalf of Provost Christopher Manfredi and Vice-President (Administration and Finance) Fabrice Labeau, including one that questioned the union’s approach to negotiations. One such communication was sent shortly before AMPL’s union meeting, where they would vote on a strike mandate. 

McGill was informed of the complaint on the day it was filed and was summoned to the court on Aug. 30. The night before the hearing, the university’s lawyers notified the court that McGill would not be able to attend and requested that the hearing be rescheduled. The court rejected McGill’s request that the hearing be suspended, noting that they did not give sufficient notice or provide an adequate excuse for their absence, but agreed to consider the evidence McGill’s attorney had transmitted. The TAT ultimately decided to issue a safeguard order, instructing McGill to “cease all forms of obstruction and to refrain from interfering in union affairs in any way whatsoever.”

The tension between AMPL and McGill has had tangible impacts on students. Jonah Kidd, 3L, told The Tribune that the strike could cause issues for international students with student visas, as well as graduating students and students enrolled in the one-year-long Master of Laws program. He also noted that the strike has serious financial implications for students paying tuition despite most or all of their courses being cancelled. Despite Kidd’s concerns, he stated his support for the strike and questioned the validity of McGill’s argument in their lawsuit against AMPL. 

“While there’s definitely a short-term impact on students, there’s also a long-term impact, not only on professors, but on the students they teach if there’s no proper bargain made between AMPL and McGill,” Kidd said.

Other unions on campus have also expressed solidarity with the Law professors. The Association of Graduate Students Employed at McGill (AGSEM), the union which represents teaching assistants and invigilators, condemned McGill’s attempts to decertify AMPL and their pursuit of arbitration.

“McGill’s reasoning that too much time has elapsed between AMPL’s unionization and the creation of a collective agreement is unfair, as the delays have been largely due to McGill’s unwillingness to negotiate,” AGSEM wrote. “Further, McGill’s request for arbitration is completely inappropriate, seeing as how they have not put sufficient effort into bargaining themselves.” 

AGSEM related that they had a similar experience negotiating with McGill when they bargained for their own CA earlier this year. They felt that the university did not take negotiations sincerely and claimed that McGill falsely interpreted the Labour Code to encourage lecturers, instructors, and faculty members to perform scab work while the TAs were on strike in April.

“We take issue with the employer’s callous interpretation of the Labour Code to gain advantage over its employees when this document is designed to allow fairness in a fundamentally unbalanced relationship between employee and employer,” AGSEM wrote. “As usual, we implore the employer to spend less time stalling and litigating and more time negotiating.”

Album Reviews, Arts & Entertainment, Books, Film and TV, Music

What we liked this summer break

by Jordana Curnoe, Siena Torres, Dana Prather, Charlotte Hayes, Kellie Elrick, Amelia McCluskey on

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We Are Who We Are (TV miniseries)

By Jordana Curnoe, Contributor

The HBO miniseries We Are Who We Are, directed by Luca Guadagnino, follows a headstrong army brat from New York City named Fraser (Jack Dylan Grazer) who moves to a fictional American military base in Chioggia, Italy. There, he befriends a group of other army brats including Caitlin/Harper (Jordan Kristine Seamón). As they grow closer, Caitlin begins to question her gender identity and feels that she cannot exist inside her old world the way she is expected to. The series consists of visually captivating shots of curiously beautiful Italian scenery and awkward but fitting close-up shots of people’s faces. Although few questions are fully answered, the story demonstrates the importance—and cost—of being unashamedly yourself. Each of the characters tries to accept that they cannot change themselves or what they’ve experienced; they simply are who they are.

Interview with the Vampire – Season 2 (TV show)

By Siena Torres, Contributor

The AMC television adaptation of Anne Rice’s novel Interview with the Vampire is the queer vampire show we all needed. Set in the dual timeline of present-day Dubai and 19th-century New Orleans, the story of Louis (Jacob Anderson) and his complex relationship with his creator and lover, Lestat (Sam Reid), unfolds through flashbacks as he narrates it to a reporter. Through stellar performances ranging from comedic to deadly, this show does not hold back with gore, nudity, or the darkest parts of its “failmarriage.” The second season premiered this summer, raising the stakes as the consequences get deadlier when Parisian vampires and engrossing theatrics merge. The third season has been teased with Lestat as a Chappell Roan-inspired rockstar vampire (yes, you read that correctly), so no need to fret— your new favourite show will be back in no time.

Gayotic with MUNA – Season 3 (podcast)

By Dana Prather, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Gayotic with MUNA is back, and it’s here to save the (podcasting) world. Hosted by indie pop band MUNA’s Katie Gavin, Josette Maskin, and Naomi McPherson, the podcast is a freeform gabfest covering everything from the artists’ personal lives and artistic processes to their political takes and favourite memes. Thanks to the band’s (and by extension, the podcast’s) growing popularity, the show’s third season offers new video episodes alongside the tried-and-true audio-only format. The result? A front-row seat to all the unbridled chaos and unabashedly queer content the show’s name would suggest. While the podcast certainly benefits from its wide range of special guest appearances—fan-favourite drag queen Trixie Mattel, singer-songwriter and guitarist extraordinaire Towa Bird, and Oscar-winning producer FINNEAS are just a few of the stars that have graced the studio this season alone—Gayotic is at its best when it returns to its roots: Solo episodes featuring the trio’s constant chatter and jokes that will make you feel like you’re yapping along with your best friends. 

Dìdi (弟弟) (film)

By Amelia McCluskey, Contributor

Sean Wang’s debut feature Dìdi (弟弟) depicts coming of age in 2008 with nostalgic delight. Attempting to pass the time before the first day of high school, thirteen-year-old Chris (Izaac Wang) watches kissing tutorials on YouTube, practices kickflips in the garage, and swipes Paramore t-shirts from his older sister’s closet. While the film is funny and whimsical—full of talking fish, reanimated squirrels, and some of the most realistic middle-schooler dialogue I’ve ever heard—Chris struggles with a sense of profound loneliness. Dìdi (弟弟) earns its comparisons to films like Lady Bird and Eighth Grade with its deeply heart-wrenching moments as Chris desperately tries to fit in. After changing his ringtone to impress his crush and berating his mom in front of his friends, he only finds himself further ostracized by his peers. Through its unexpected combination of drama and humour, Dìdi (弟弟) provides a fresh perspective on familiar themes, producing a story that feels universal, yet wholly unique. 

The Road to the City (novella)

By Kellie Elrick, Arts & Entertainment Editor

Delia is seventeen and ashamed. She has lofty dreams of life as a housewife in the city. She hates her family’s rotting red house in the village, solacing herself with walks along the road by the river into the city, where there are orchestras and women who want to be seen. Her distant cousin Nini walks with her; he is in love with her. Natalia Ginzburg’s The Road to the City was published in Italian in 1942 under the pseudonym “Alessandra Tornimparte”—Ginzburg was Jewish, and Mussolini’s racial laws forbade her from publishing. Her prose is cold, but it plunges into the deep, bubbling underbelly of disgust and desire: Delia looks at her greying mother and thinks, “If I had met her in the city I should have been ashamed.” Delia is poor, then pregnant, then married, then rich. One day, it appears that she is living as she wished—with a maid and a big house in the city and a velvet blanket—but Nini is gone, and the house, and the days, seem to empty out into the past.

brat (album)

By Charlotte Hayes, Staff Writer

To be ‘brat’ is to embrace your flaws, mess, and ego—at least according to British singer-songwriter and DJ Charli XCX. Her summer release brat is an intensely energetic yet emotionally vulnerable electronic dance-pop album which embodies the essence of breaking down and then getting back up to party again; revelling in the emotional complexity that comes with growing up, while never letting it get in the way of having a good time. Blunt, honest, and volatile, brat is the album to tease the party animal out of your sad-indie-bedroom pop-loving soul. Even though the album is well worth highlighting on its own artistic merits, it exists within a larger cultural context of trends this summer. While we were all in the throes of having our own ‘brat girl summer,’ another unlikely figure joined the brat-iverse: Kamala Harris. Following Joe Biden’s termination of his presidential campaign and subsequent endorsement of Harris, Charli posted a tweet that irrevocably linked her album with the upcoming U.S. election. Somehow, this club-track-packed album has gone from songs about partying every single day of the year, to unpacking generational trauma, and now… to becoming invested in the political future of your country? The campaign’s decision to lean into the support from the British pop star is one that has great potential to bring in a new generation of voters by using a vocabulary that they find more engaging or approachable. However, they could run the risk of leaning too far into the joke at the expense of the promotion of any substantive policy.

Arts & Entertainment, Pop Rhetoric

Trigger warnings: Are modern audiences too soft?

by Bianca Sugunasiri on

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Language is one of the most illusory human creations. We trust that words will remain objective and unchanging. Thus, we are often ignorant of the ways they can distort before our eyes. In a momentary sleight of hand, a word’s meaning can slip away, adopted anew by generation after generation. We use words primarily within context, with definitions existing in the periphery. As such, the meaning of a word can quickly become obscured. Examine the following definitions: 

trigᐧger warnᐧing (Noun: trigger warning; plural noun: trigger warnings): a statement at the start of a piece of writing, video, etc., alerting the reader or viewer to the fact that it contains potentially distressing material (often used to introduce a description of such content) 

trigᐧger warnᐧing (Noun: trigger warning; plural noun: trigger warnings): a chronically online and misused phrase, often serving as false consideration before presenting derogatory statements or as a form of defence for one presenting a controversial opinion 

The first definition, taken from the Oxford Dictionary, provides the intended conceptualization of the word. The second aligns more with its practical misuses. “Trigger warning,” or “content warning,” has become a buzz-phrase that is excessively misused in several ways—to precede a reprehensible statement in a futile attempt to justify it; to defend oneself from being cancelled for expressing an opinion that deviates from the majority; or even simply to appear more considerate of others, seeking praise online. These misuses unwittingly undermine the purpose of a trigger warning: To situate and inform an individual to mitigate unnecessary psychological harm. 

Despite the term’s blatant unnecessary amplification in social media, trigger warnings are lacking in the entertainment industry. Earlier this year, English actor and film producer Ralph Fiennes presented a brash outlook on trigger warnings, stating that theatres ought to scrap trigger warnings so that audiences might engage more immersively with productions. He maintained that trigger warnings would prevent an audience from being shocked and disturbed by violent or sexual themes. He asserted that the modern audience has gone “soft.” However, the accuracy of this statement is irrelevant; whether or not audiences have become too sensitive, the purpose of the entertainment industry is to entertain. It is not the artists’ job nor their place to “toughen up” audiences. 

Fiennes’ idea that information has to be withheld to avoid marring the impact of a film is contradicted by every mainstream marketing strategy. Entertainment looks different for any individual, so the entertainment industry provides its audience with information prior to a viewing so they can determine what would best suit them—trailers, plot summaries, or maybe avoiding a viewing altogether. This secures a more attentive audience than attempting to generalize across individuals. Take the horror film IT; what if it was marketed as an animated princess film? Would it be a sensation? Or would it precipitate an influx of child trauma? If two-to-three-minute trailers are released for every film, it is difficult to believe a two-sentence trigger warning would be what dismantles the multi-billion dollar industry. 

Consider the recent film adaptation of Colleen Hoover’s novel It Ends with Us starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The film is marketed as a floral romance despite its portrayal of domestic abuse—and provides no trigger warning. Although the intended message of the story appears to advocate for ending the cycle of abuse, it is easily masked by the perfume of roses. With its misleading marketing, one could easily walk into the theatre prepared for a heartwarming two hours only to emerge feeling deceived. Some might argue that this is an exaggeration. However, one in three women and one in four men in the US alone have experienced some form of domestic abuse. While the word “trauma” has been diluted from overuse (and sometimes, misuse), it is critical not to undermine the genuine pain and experiences of survivors. Millions of people’s shared trauma warrants a couple of sentences from a multi-billion dollar corporation. Regardless of whether or not you have experienced domestic violence firsthand, no one deserves to be made ignorant of something that may likely cause psychological damage. 

If you or someone you know is going through a traumatic experience, including domestic violence, please refer to the resources below.

SOS violence conjugale 24/7: 1-800-363-9010

Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868

Commentary, Opinion

Feeling lonely? Montreal researchers recommend sex robots as an antidote

by Yusur Al-Sharqi on

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One of my all-time favourite films, Her, follows Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a lonely divorcée who finds himself falling deeply in love with the virtual assistant on his phone. When it premiered in 2013, it seemed like an outlandish sci-fi fantasy; who would want to date a computer program? Yet, here we are—and our reality is even scarier than the movies.

On Aug. 24-25, researchers at the University of Quebec à Montreal (UQÀM) hosted a conference titled “Love and Sex with Robots.” The conference was led by researchers from across the province to explore the use of “erobotics”—erotic-robotics—spanning from “intimacy dolls” to artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots that can simulate a human partner. 

Creators of the event claim that the use of technology to replicate romantic and sexual relationships is inevitable and, therefore, merits exploration. It’s hard to argue that any topic is unworthy of research, but there is reason for concern about the direction in which this research is heading. 

Not long ago, a relationship as detached from reality as one with a doll would have been a red flag for many mental health professionals; when did disengaging from reality and retreating into a fantasy world become a recommended practice?  It raises troubling questions.  Why are people turning to technology to fulfill their most basic human need: Connection? Is it because they find it easier to interact with a machine with no human needs, boundaries, or capacity for disagreement? Are we becoming so accustomed to relationships that exist on our terms alone—relationships we can control, pause, or shut down—that we are losing the skills to navigate fundamental human interactions?

Rather than funding and pushing forward innovations that use technology to simulate intimacy, we should focus on the fundamental issue at hand: The loneliness epidemic that has only been worsened by our reliance on virtual interactions. Prescribing technology as an antidote to a problem that is, in large part, caused by technology, is absurd. Research shows that as people feel more connected online, they can begin to neglect the real relationships that they have all around them and, slowly but surely, feel less confident socializing in person. Then, when it is time to turn off the screens, they find themselves lonelier than before. 

Proponents of “erobotics” suggest it could help individuals become more comfortable with their sexuality or serve as a tool for sex education. Still, this view misses a critical point: Technology designed to fulfill personal desires creates a controlled environment that cannot replicate the complexity of genuine relationships. Human relationships are inherently messy. They require vulnerability, reciprocity, and an acceptance of imperfection—all things that technology, no matter how advanced, cannot simulate.

To its credit, the conference did tackle some ethical implications of erobotics. However, this only further demonstrates how easily this technology can take a dark turn. Consider deepfakes—AI that can alter images and audio to create convincing but fake representations of real people. Sometimes, it can be amusing—such as videos of politicians saying silly things—but more often, it’s downright horrifying—like blackmail and revenge pornography.  

The horror goes beyond screens, as dolls like Frigid Farrah enter the market, designed with “resistance settings” that allow users to simulate rape; other dolls are even designed to resemble children. At best, this technology pushes people further into self-isolation and loneliness; at worst, it enables terrifying, violent behaviour. Technology has made it increasingly easy to retreat into self-isolation. Rather than attempting to fill the emotional gaps in our lives with new technology that only further enforces isolation, the countless hours (and dollars) put toward “erobotics” research would be far more effective if it were aimed at enforcing what will truly fix the problem: Love, community, and the irreplaceable value of human relationships. Spoiler alert: By the end of Her, Theodore realizes that AI can never replace real human connection. The hope is that we all come to that same conclusion, too—sooner rather than later.

Commentary, Opinion

American students should be grateful for McGill’s rigid grading policies

by Lulu Calame on

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In the past decade, there has been a massive uptick in average university grade point averages (GPAs) in the United States (most notably) but also in countries such as  the United Kingdom. This data became especially alarming after university reports identified top U.S. universities such as Yale and Harvard as major culprits. At Yale, the average undergraduate GPA rose from a 3.60 in 2014 to a 3.70 in 2023, and the distribution of As and A-s rose more than 11 per cent. At Harvard, the percentage of A-range grades rose 19 per cent between 2010 and 2020.  

While GPAs at US universities have risen rapidly, those at McGill have not. Based on a compilation of McGill crowdsourced data, the average grade in PSYC100—a requirement for Psychology, McGill’s largest major concentration program—was B+ (3.3) in 2014. In 2022, that average had not changed; in COMP202—a requirement for the Computer Science major, one of the top five largest at McGill—the 2013 class average was an A- (3.7) while the 2023 class average was a B+ (3.3).  

The surge of American grade-inflation data and discussion in the media in just the past year has fueled animosity in McGill’s American students towards its less lenient—or, as one American student wrote in a College Confidential online forum, “sadomasochistic”—grading policy. The growing GPA disparity between Canadian and US universities has left McGill’s American students questioning their post-graduate viability in the American job market, overrun by our American-educated peers who, with equal effort, boast higher GPAs. 

However, fundamental to the oversaturation of A-level students is a devaluation of the American A, and a subsequent uncertainty regarding students’ true aptitude. When the GPA of a stand-out student differs by half a point from that of a student who barely attends class, an employer or admission office will logically consider the two equally-qualified, or equally unemployable. It is debatable which is worse.  

Meanwhile, the guarantee of an easier A is a threat to the work ethic and grit of a university student, as well as the student’s necessary excavation of their own intrinsic motivations. Where an A feels ever within reach, there is less, if any, urgency to do more—to talk one-on-one with professors, to restart a paper when the argument proves itself misguided, to move away from a subject to one more interesting.  

It is no fault of the university student that the drive for good grades often overshadows commitment to learning itself, as graded performance is held on a high pedestal from an early age. But to dangle the gold-plated 4.0 in such easy reach melts American college graduates into one homogenous, unmotivated puddle. 

That said, the McGill student still faces the reality that their GPA is likely to be lower than the (still increasing since 1990) American standard. To that, I see a clear rebuttal in both the short and long term.  

Short-term, McGill students are working through school with both a stronger work ethic, and a built-in conviction that there is more to learn and ever-more room to improve–a universal truth from myself to Einstein. This is an invaluable asset that plays the key secondary role of pulling a student into uncomfortable or unpredictable territory where they can explore what they find individually interesting. It is in these positions that the best thinking happens.  

In the longer term, while an American student might enter the vast real world and find themselves lost when success is no longer given so readily in letter grades, a McGill student will have already come to terms with failure and with deserved success. They will have embraced the world that waits to be explored outside of a four-point scale: hands-on experience, travel, personal creative endeavors, and more.They will, in short, be prepared for success, however they choose to define it.  

There is a groundedness inherent to McGill’s unapologetic grading that is the single most valuable gift to receive from a college education. Americans may bask in their fleeting 4.0s, but when such statistics are so easily won, the student loses in the end. American students at McGill dodged a bullet.

McGill, News

McGill restricted access to campus after dismantling the Palestine Solidarity Encampment, some say it was unwarranted

by Josephine Metcalf on

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McGill closed its downtown campus to public use as the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) officers and private security firm, SIRCO, dismantled the 75-day Palestine solidarity encampment in the early hours of July 10. Beginning the same day, all buildings were closed to students, courses were moved online, the campus was blocked off to the general public, and the McGill University Emergency Operations Centre urged staff and students in an email communication to avoid campus. Regular campus use as a public park and studying space was effectively suspended. 

Partial restrictions were in place in the downtown campus through Aug. 5. Between July 10 and July 15, 18 buildings were closed entirely. Any research or courses in those buildings were moved online and all staff were required to work remotely, if able. On July 16, key card access was restored to these buildings for essential faculty and two entry points to lower campus were opened between 8 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.. Individuals were required to show their McGill ID before entering lower campus.  

The Roddick Gates were finally opened on July 22 and building access was restored to full public hours on Aug. 5, meaning that McGill ID was no longer necessary to enter lower campus.

As of Aug. 26, the Emergency Management page dedicated to the status of the gradual reopening process reads that those faculty, students, and staff who need to conduct university business on campus outside of opening hours “may do so, but must carry their McGill ID card and may be asked to present it.”

President Deep Saini wrote an email to the McGill community on July 18 explaining the administration’s intentions behind the closures. 

“Our phased reopening aims to reduce, where possible, the risk of occupations or vandalism […] incidents that were not legitimate forms of expression or assembly,” Saini wrote. “As we look ahead, we are called to reestablish a climate where each of us feels welcomed, celebrated, recognized, uplifted, and capable of sharing our views without fear of retribution, regardless of who we are or what perspectives we hold.”

The McGill Media Relations Office echoed Saini’s statement and further emphasized the closures as a means of avoiding further occupation of campus. 

“This approach also provided the time and space needed to stabilize the campus and provide all members of the community who have been working tirelessly for weeks the time and space needed to regroup, restore the campus’ physical state and operations, and to plan for the Fall term,” the Office wrote in an email to The Tribune.

However, some McGill community members—including those active in organizing for Palestine—have criticized McGill’s recent closures of campus. One professor involved in profs4palestine who wished to remain anonymous due to privacy concerns expressed disappointment in an email to The Tribune.

“It upset me—as did most everything else about the way the Administration reacted to the encampment,” they wrote. 

In an interview with The Tribune, Sonia Nouri, U3 Arts, explained her confusion and difficulties moving around campus during the closures. 

“When I finally went on [campus] it was really jarring how hostile the environment felt,” Nouri said. “It is really difficult to get around campus without having a confrontation with some kind of security or seeing someone else have a confrontation with some kind of security.” 

Passang Regyal, a Masters student in the Faculty of Arts and Science cited few disruptions to her daily routine but she was not happy with the closures and did not look on them as an appropriate means of quelling campus tensions. Both students made claims that the presence of private security and police was unnerving and threatening.

“I don’t think there was any adequate explanation provided by the university for the extent of the closures, especially when it comes at the cost of public use of the outdoor spaces and the solidarity and activism of the McGill community that the encampment represented,” Regyal said.

Science & Technology

Unraveling infection mysteries: Can probiotics provide answers?

by Daniel Pyo on

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How many times have your parents or significant other reminded you to take your supplements, emphasizing their health benefits?

Over the past few years, probiotics have garnered significant attention due to studies showcasing their efficacy in treating various human diseases. Researchers believe that probiotics promote human health by stimulating the immune system and inhibiting the growth of pathogens. By acting as adjuvants, probiotics have the potential to enhance the effectiveness of a cure by supplementing the immune response. This combination approach can help to strengthen the body’s defense mechanisms and improve the overall outcome of the treatment. 

A recent meta-analysis by Eva Suarthana, adjunct professor in McGill’s Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and her team unraveled the numerous effects of probiotics on a series of infections, particularly intestinal infections that roots from a common bacteria of H. pylori. Suarthana’s research aims to guide policy changes and recommend effective treatments within current patient care policies. 

So, what exactly are probiotics and why are they so important? 

“To put it simply, probiotics are a distinct group of organisms that enter infected areas to fight against harmful substances that cause negative effects,” Erni Nelwan, first author of the paper and full professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia, said in an interview with The Tribune.  

Suarthana, Nelwan, and the rest of the team initiated research focusing on probiotics when they realized they had not conducted any meta-analyses on the various beneficial effects of probiotics as a supplementary measure for promoting health. 

Probiotics function as adjuvants to strengthen the immune system, preventing recurring infections caused by weakened immunity. They achieve this by maintaining the stability of the cell flora in organs and preventing pathogens from adhering to surfaces during interactions with the immune system. 

“It’s not that probiotics can serve as a cure for all infectious diseases, but it can work as a supplement for our body to lessen the chance of one catching one,” Suarthana said. 

Another interesting finding showed that when people receive antibiotics, they build resistance to them, and over time repeated infections would cause the potency of antibiotics to go down. 

“In some countries, there’s no modulation of how drugs should be administered, so the first drug that can be prescribed to patients suffering from infectious diseases are antibiotics,” Nelwan added. 

Nelwan and Suarthana’s team conducted extensive patient studies across different countries to minimize bias. Their review is the first to provide a comprehensive overview of the use of probiotics in managing highly prevalent infectious diseases; this meta-analysis is the extension of their work on 2011 regarding their investigation on diarrheal cases. 

Researchers have established that probiotics in the gastrointestinal tract have a specific binding affinity to H. pylori– a bacteria that causes ulcers. Its presence in the stomach leads to the production of substances that hinder its attachment to the cells of the gastrointestinal tract. Probiotics also possess the ability to secrete antimicrobial substances, such as lactic acids, which damage harmful bacteria and help to prevent potential infections. 

Furthermore, Nelwan and Suarthana examined studies where they administered probiotics to patients at varying frequencies throughout the duration of the study. 

“Probiotics were effective when administered with triple regimen therapy as a first-line treatment, but not with quadruple regimen for H. pylori eradication,” Nelwan explained. 

Despite the promising findings of this meta-analysis, which suggest that probiotics are effective in curing a range of infections, there are still uncertainties about the overall impact of probiotics on patient well-being. This is mainly due to the limited number of published studies on this topic and the fact that doctors primarily rely on other medications to treat infectious diseases, as Nelwan explained. 

While probiotics may not be a cure-all for infections, they play a vital role in understanding the intricacies of infectious diseases in human health. Continuous study in this field has the potential to bring more accessible and successful probiotic treatments. 

Sports

Transphobia in women’s sports is a danger to all women

by Anoushka Oke on

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Content Warning: Mentions of transphobia, racism, and misogyny

In the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Italian boxer Angela Carini abandoned her 66-kilogram Round of 16 match on Aug. 1 after 46 seconds, following her failure to properly block two hard hits to the face by Algerian opponent Imane Khelif. Rather than celebrating Khelif’s resulting win, media outlets focused on Carini’s teary post-fight comments and speculated upon whether or not Khelif is a cisgender woman—which she is.

In the days after the fight, self-proclaimed boxing experts subjected Khelif to invasive scrutiny over her body and her childhood as they attempted to decide for themselves whether or not they considered Khelif to be “feminine” enough to meet their definition of womanhood. High-profile voices like J.K. Rowling, Elon Musk, and Logan Paul further fueled the abuse.

Transitioning is criminalized in Algeria, making these claims not only an insult to Khelif’s integrity, but a genuine threat to her livelihood. Furthermore, it makes the notion of Algeria sending a transgender athlete to represent itself in the Olympics extremely unlikely.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a statement clarifying that every athlete at the Games had cleared their respective eligibility rules and condemning both the harmful discourse and the previous 2023 decision from the International Boxing Association (IBA) that fueled it. In 2023, the IBA—an organization that lost IOC recognition as the global boxing body in 2023 with a 69-1 vote due to issues over governance, finances, and ethics—made the sudden and controversial decision to disqualify Khelif and fellow Olympian Lin Yu-ting based on the results of a vaguely-defined “separate and recognized test.”

In recent years, transphobes and misogynists alike have found a new method of attacking women: Suggesting that any talented woman athlete must have been assigned male at birth. Khelif is not the first or the only woman to be swept up in debates about their gender. After American swimmer Katie Ledecky—arguably one of the most dominant athletes in the world—won the 1500-metre freestyle, ESPN’s celebratory Facebook post attracted several comments questioning her gender.

Unlike Ledecky, Khelif isn’t even the dominant athlete that she is characterized to be—she lost to Irish boxer Kellie Harrington in the quarterfinals of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (held in 2021), and to Irish boxer Amy Broadhurst in the 2022 IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, which are just two of her nine career losses. Carini, on the other hand, lost her opening fight in the 2020 Olympics.

Despite their claims that they “protect women’s sports,” transphobes can’t stand to see women athletes succeed and dominate, unintentionally pushing forward a misogynistic narrative alongside their transphobia. In their anti-trans fury—which is already condemnable—the “protect women’s sports” crowd are now attacking cis women as well.

Women, such as Khelif, who are discriminated against based on both their gender and their race experience even more adversity. The masculinization of women of colour is strongly rooted in racism—especially in anti-Black racism—and has repeatedly been aimed at several successful BIPOC athletes. Throughout her playing career, conspiracy theorists have repeatedly subjected American tennis legend Serena Williams to fabricated speculations that she is not a cis woman. And following a recent Olympic soccer matchup between the Australian and Zambian women’s national teams that resulted in a tight 6-5 win for Australia, Australian commentator Lucy Zelić publicly questioned the gender eligibility of sole Zambian goal scorers Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji—two of the bright spots in an otherwise struggling Zambian women’s national soccer team—who are both star players for their respective club teams in the National Women’s Soccer League.

Headlines such as “Boxer previously banned from women’s events wins fight after opponent quits in 46 seconds” and “Imane Khelif, Algeria boxer who had gender test issue, wins first Olympic fight when opponent quits” further fuel baseless accusations from reactionary onlookers who do little more than read the headlines. Presenting the fact that Khelif previously failed gender tests in the head of a piece without contextualizing it in the fact that Kheilf is a cis woman and that she is fully eligible to participate in the Olympics is irresponsible, dangerous journalism. 

Imane Khelif has fought her whole life to get to this moment; she is a woman from a rural village in Algeria who sold scrap metal to fund her bus fares to training, despite her father’s disapproval of girls participating in boxing. However, transphobic hate and journalistic malpractice has turned what should have been presented as an inspiring story into a flurry of personal attacks fueled by the tears of a white woman.

Soccer, Sports

The double standard: How media ideology magnifies mistakes of Black players

by Zain Ahmed on

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England’s National Football Team’s lackluster 1-0 defeat to Iceland’s National Football Team on June 7 was more than just a forgettable pre-European Championships match. In the post-match analysis, a curious trend materialized: 22-year-old Bukayo Saka, who played a mere 25 minutes of the game, became a focal point of criticism. Headlines following the game shifted blame onto the Arsenal star, despite his limited role in the match. This wasn’t the first time that Saka, alongside other Black players on the English team, had been unfairly targeted by the English media. This persistent trend reveals the dark undercurrents of sports media’s sinister role in the perpetuation of racist attitudes and sentiments.

Black athletes in contemporary sports media often find themselves under a harsher spotlight than their white counterparts. A misplaced pass from a white player is seen as nothing more than a forgivable lapse in concentration, while this same error from a Black player is spun into a narrative of a lack of ability. This racial bias is amplified by the media’s tendency to dissect a Black player’s performance through a negative filter, especially when losses are involved. Headlines become pronouncements, pronouncements morph into truths, and truths, however skewed, become ingrained in the minds of fans and casual observers. 

Saka’s post-Iceland scrutiny was not a one-off ordeal, making the media’s existing criticisms against him even harsher. After England’s heartbreaking loss during the penalty shootout in the final of the 2020 European Championship against Italy, Saka, alongside two of his Black teammates—Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford and Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho—were subject to a torrent of racist abuse online after missing their penalties. These incidents paint a disturbing picture: Black players are disproportionately vilified for their team’s defeats.

The penalties missed by Saka, Rashford, and Sancho became a national conversation, representing a glaring disparity in media coverage. The English captain Harry Kane, a white player, also missed a crucial penalty against France in a huge World Cup shootout in 2022. While some criticism was directed at Kane as the leader of what was supposed to be a very successful England team, the outrage paled in comparison to the torment Saka, Rashford, and Sancho faced. 

Rashford commented on the ways in which football increased his self awareness, and plunged himself and other Black players into a whirlpool of disproportionate negative comments regarding their skills. The abuse even transgressed beyond the field, highlighting the emotional toll of the continuous racist abuse faced by young Black players on the England team. England manager Gareth Southgate backed Rashford’s sentiment, that the scrutiny placed on players like Saka was disgusting. 

To destroy such harmful narratives around racialized atheletes such as Saka, a multi-pronged approach is crucial. First, sports journalists must become more discerning in their collection and representation of facts. Analyzing the performance of an entire team, like the English men’s national team, instead of scrutinizing individual moments in a way that can be shrouded in prejudice creates a holistic approach to performance analyses. Second, greater representation in the media is a vital aspect of sports journalism—having more journalists of colour creates a wider range of perspectives and produces fairer representation. However, all  journalists must  learn how to properly report on issues and stories concerning players of colour and other athletes of communities in which the reporter is not a member. Furthermore, social media platforms like X, previously known as previously Twitter, which are notorious for facilitating online abuse, must be held accountable for their wrongful sentiments by increasing proactive identification of abusers and through the removal of racist content. 

International sports organizations are emphasizing collaboration with social media platforms to create stable reporting systems, resulting in safer online spaces for players. The Guardian stated that the Premier League is laying down a powerful call to arms to combat the onslaught of negative racial abuse targeting minority players. This reinforces the general consensus that in order to increase equality on the field, we ought to ensure equality in every auxiliary context. 

The “beautiful game” deserves an equally beautiful environment off the field. By promoting balanced reporting, fostering diversity in sports media, and demanding accountability from online platforms, we can begin to tackle the ingrained racism within the sports industry.

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